


Lucky

by BrownFoxx



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Zombies, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:47:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29268231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrownFoxx/pseuds/BrownFoxx
Summary: Can a little luck help Daryl finally get the girl of his dreams?
Relationships: Andrea/Merle Dixon, Carol Peletier/Ed Peletier, Daryl Dixon/Carol Peletier
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

25 year old auto mechanic Daryl Dixon cursed under his breath as he scraped the last stubborn layer of ice off of his truck's previously frozen windshield. He was in a bit of a grouchy mood that morning because he had to get up extra early to clean off the truck before heading back to work after being off for the past few days due to the bad weather. 

Although Woodbury, Georgia was only a few miles away from the Alabama state line, the area had gotten nearly a foot of snow that past week; a practically unheard of rarity that far south, and as such the whole town had to shut down for a few days until the local highway patrol officials were able to borrow a few snow plows and salt trucks from neighboring King County over the weekend.

Daryl hadn't been too upset about the shutdown; although he missed out on the money he would have made if his job at Axel's Garage had been open, he rarely took time off so he'd really enjoyed the mini vacation. The only regret he had while cooped up in the house eating junk food, drinking beer and binge watching Netflix was that he didn't have a woman in his life to spend his time off with.

There was someone in particular that he would have LOVED to have cuddled up with by the fire to watch it snow outside, but he was too chicken to ask her out again after she'd politely turned him down the last time. The lady in question was Carol Mason, whose grandfather owned the old Mason's gasoline station out on Dead Walker Road. 

Carol had gone to school with Daryl and he had the biggest crush on her. She was pretty, smart and funny and not to mention, she had the most gorgeous blue eyes that he'd ever seen. 

They came from different backgrounds; Daryl's family lived in a trailer park on the outskirts of town while Carol's middle class family lived in one of the restored Victorian homes on the riverfront. They were also in very different crowds at school; Carol was a popular A student while Daryl was pretty much a loner who only occasionally hung out with a few friends from his auto shop class. 

Even though Daryl wasn't part of Carol's popular 'clique' she always spoke to him in the cafeteria or whenever they passed in the halls, no matter who was around and he liked and respected her even more for it. 

In 12th grade they were paired up for a big biology project worth nearly half their grade to grow and raise several plant samples. Carol loved horticulture and Daryl liked anything to do with nature so it was a match made in heaven. They had to exchange telephone numbers and meet up frequently outside of school to work on the project and Daryl looked forward to those evenings out at Carol's parent's garage turned greenhouse like he was going on dates with her. 

She called him up often and they soon fell into the habit of talking on the phone every night. They talked for hours, long after they'd discussed the plants' progress, about everything under the sun from his fantasy of becoming a master mechanic and someday owning his own custom motorcycle dealership to her dreams of becoming a nurse and living somewhere (anywhere!) a hell of a lot more glamorous than Woodbury someday, "maybe Miami, Vegas or even LA!" she laughed. 

Daryl wished he had enough money to make all of Carol's dreams come true and vowed to himself that someday he would. He didnt dare tell her that however nor of his dream of proposing to her once he'd made something of himself and had something to offer her. She was the girl he wanted to marry, have kids and grow old with. He was young but he knew Carol was the one for him.

Carol encouraged him to go for his dreams as well and it made him feel a lot more confident. He didnt exactly have the best support system at home. His only positive family influence was his older brother Merle, who'd moved out as soon as he graduated high school then went off to mechanic's school and by that point was doing really well for himself and Daryl planned to follow in his footsteps.

A few weeks later they were out at Carol's house for the last time to work on the project. The assignment was due in the morning and they were up pretty late decorating the big presentation posterboard. Finally it was done and it looked perfect. Carol gave him a friendly hug goodbye just before he headed out the door and suddenly Daryl got the bright idea to ask if he could kiss her goodnight. She stared at him a long time and he half expected her to slap him silly after such a bold question but surprisingly she did just the opposite she leaned over and kissed him! The kiss had started out pretty chaste but before long it ended up getting really heated. 

Once they finally came up for air Daryl finally told her just how much he'd always liked her and that he wished she would be his girl and go out with him.

That seemed to break the spell however. Carol suddenly looked stricken and told Daryl that kissing him had been a terrible mistake. She then began apologizing profusely and explained that she liked him too but she'd already started dating their classmate Ed Peletier. She then added that Ed would be furious if he ever found out that she'd kissed another boy and she hoped that Daryl could forgive her for leading him on then begged him not to ever tell Ed. 

She seemed almost terrified of Ed finding out about the kiss so Daryl promised her that he wouldnt say anything as she then began crying softly after she locked the door behind him. As he walked home he felt very confused by her tears as well as totally devastated. If she liked him too she could just dump Ed, right?

Ed Peletier might have been the school's football star but Daryl thought he was the biggest jerk EVER. His parents had money and he was snobby, cocky and a headstrong bully who frequently got into fights and he totally didnt deserve a girl as sweet and beautiful as Carol. 

But Ed had something to offer Carol that Daryl didnt have. He had money. He could afford to take her out on nice dates and buy her anything she wanted. He could afford take care of her like she deserved, even before getting his first real job. His parents were loaded and he frequently bragged about his big college trust fund that he wasn't even going to use. He didnt necessarily need to go to college for the career he wanted anyway; he had big plans of becoming a high ranking drill sargeant in the army; a career that well suited his domineering personality, intimidating height and brawny physique.

Daryl & Carol got an A+ on their project on the day after the kiss and he told her that it was pure luck that he got paired up with her for the assignment; he couldnt remember the last time he gotten an A+ on anything. Unfortunately however once the project collaboration came to an end, their new and special friendship came to an end as well; particularly since Ed had suddenly became a constant presence wherever Carol went.

He seemed really controlling and Daryl didnt like it one bit so he hoped that she'd tire of him and that they'd break up at some point before the end of the school year but they got serious pretty fast and by graduation word got around that Ed and Carol were engaged.

Apparently Carol had gotten pregnant on prom night and both hers and Ed's parents had insisted that he "do the right thing" and marry her right away. They lived in a small southern town with a lot of old fashioned ideas so it was expected and even though neither of them really wanted to get married they went through with it. The last thing Daryl heard after that was that they'd moved to the Fort Benning area so that Ed could begin his basic training in the Army and it made him sad that Carol had to put her dream of becoming a nurse on hold to become a mother and follow her new husband's path in life.

At that point Daryl knew he had no choice but to move on. He attended mechanics school in Atlanta then moved back home and got a job working with his older brother Merle, a master mechanic, at Axel's Garage. He got his own place and over the next couple of years he had a few girlfriends here and there but deep down he'd always subconsciously compared them to Carol somehow... and no one had ever quite fit her shoes.

Nearly 6 years passed... and Daryl's jaw dropped when he heard that that Carol had moved back to town, WITHOUT Ed! Apparently they split up at some point and now she was back home to start over.

Daryl had run into her often since then, and everytime he saw her his heart flipped. Sometimes he spotted her out at her grandfather's gas station or occasionally at the local Super Walmart in the grocery section and everytime he saw her he thought she looked even prettier than the last time. She told him that she'd started the community college's practical nursing program and had enrolled her beautiful daughter Sophia at Woodbury Elementary. 

Daryl was impressed; she'd bounced back and started over like a champ. He told her that he'd done okay for himself since high school; he'd completed mechanics school out in Atlanta and was making decent money down at Axel's Garage. Carol was amazed that Daryl had never gotten married nor had any kids but he figured she'd think he was crazy if he admitted to her that she was the only woman he'd ever seriously dreamed of having a family with.

Everytime they ran into each other after that he'd ask her about nursing school and she'd always talk about how stressful it was but she still had that sweet, beautiful smile but everytime she smiled at him it felt like his heart was gonna break all over again. He'd never fully gotten over his crush on her but he figured he'd look like a dork if he tried to ask her out again after all those years.... besides, she was still getting over her divorce, and was so busy with nursing school that she couldnt have possibly have had time for the likes of him asking her out again... or did she?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merle wants cigarettes... and lottery tickets... Daryl wants to disappear!

Daryl and his brother usually carpooled to work together once or twice a week and it was Daryl's turn to drive so he headed toward the country ranch home Merle shared with his wife Andrea their 5 year old twin sons, Merle Jr. & Malcolm, and the family's litter of rottweilers.

The roads were clear and after driving for nearly 15 minutes Daryl was almost in his brother's neighborhood. Just then his cell phone started ringing. He glanced at the screen before answering it via speakerphone and saw Merle's grinning face. He wondered what on earth he was calling for; they'd be together in the next five minutes or so and he hoped that nothing was wrong.

"Hey Merle. Whats up?"

"Hey there, Dar-leena," Merle slurred sleepily into the phone, calling Daryl by the ridiculous nickname he'd given him when they were kids. 

Nothing was wrong... except that Merle had probably just rolled out of bed! "Merle please dont tell me you fuckin' overslept," Daryl groaned. "Im almost at your house! We gotta go back in today."

"Nah brother... I'm ready for work. Just exhausted as all hell thats all! The boys spent the night at Andrea's folks place last weekend and due to the bad weather got stuck out there all week so Sugartits & I have been bumpin' uglies like it was goin' out of style every night we were cooped up in here all alone with nothing else to do," he laughed. "I ran out of rubbers days ago so I bet she's knocked up again for sure this time after aIl the bareback bangin' we've been up to. I just called to make sure you remembered to pick me up for work that's all," he then added. 

Daryl rolled his eyes at his brother's "lewd as usual," commentary. "Of course I remembered to come pick you up Merle... it's Monday. I always drive on Mondays. Now bring your ass outside, I'm turning onto your road. And please spare me anymore kinky details about you and Andrea's extracurricular activities. Its totally gross."

"You wish you could be so lucky, little brother!" Merle chuckled. "We really have been carrying on something awful, though. Believe me when I tell you, Blondie still knows how to work it!"

Daryl only groaned in disgust which only made Merle laugh even harder. "Be out in a sec."

Daryl was thankfully spared anymore details about his brother and sister-in-law's "cabin fever" however because as soon as Merle got into the truck he reclined the seat back as far as it would go then dozed straight off and began loudly 'calling the hogs.'

20 minutes later they were almost at work. "Yo Merle," Daryl grunted while nudging his side with his elbow. "Wake your ass up. We're almost there."

"Yeah, yeah," Merle groaned loudly then yawned and stretched himself like a bear coming out of a winter's long hibernation. He then glanced outside at his surroundings then peered over at his brother with a frown. "Its about damn time Darlina! You drive slow as a bitch!"

"Look man, I didn't want any tickets from those sneaky state troopers out on the I-20, and if I drive like a bitch its only 'cuz I drive just like you taught me!"

"Touché little brother," Merle chuckled. 

Daryl stopped at a red light and glanced around. "They did a damn good job clearin' the snow. Looks like everywhere is open for business as usual!"

"Amen to that! Im happy to get back to work! I really think Andrea wants another baby or something because this past week she damn near killed me trying to practice making one. At the rate she was going we just might have twins again. Man you should've seen how she was riding me this morning. I'm exhausted!"

"Didnt I ask you to spare me anymore of your disgusting details?"

"Yeah yeah... look pull over up ahead. Let me run inside Mason's a second."

Daryl cringed. The last time Daryl ran into Carol she mentioned to him that she occasionally worked inside her Grandfather's gas station's adjoining convenience store on her days off from school to help out and it had taken every ounce of resolve he had not to pop inside there every day to buy something just to have an excuse to say hi to her in case she was working that day.

"What on earth do you need from Masons?"

"Cigarettes! Just wanna grab a pack of smokes before going into work."

"Merle, you haven't smoked in years!"

"Trust me man, after the week of all nighters Ive had and again first thing this morning... Ole Merle needs a cigarette!" he sighed.

Daryl frowned as he pulled onto Mason's lot. "Hurry up. Youve got a good five minutes or so before Axel calls one of us and starts whining about how late we are."

"You let me deal with Axel. He's all bark and no bite. Now come on in here with me and I'll treat you to a coffee, brother! And who knows... maybe you'll see the Mouse and finally man up and ask her out!" Merle had called Carol 'the Mouse' since high school because of her petite stature and seemingly meek personality and he'd known about Daryl's crush on her for years. 

"Merle, Im not asking Carol out. She just got divorced."

"Shes been back over a year!"

"So... it wouldnt be right to assume she's interested in anybody right now. Especially me of all people."

"Why not? Youre as good as anybody. Better in fact! Youre MY little brother! Besides you said you two liked each other back in high school, right?

"Yeah, so?"

"So... the only reason you two never did anything about it was because of that asshole Peletier cutting in, right?"

"Yeah Merle, but that was years ago."

"So what! That sorry ex of hers didnt deserve her in the first place. I heard she left him because he started abusing her. That true?"

Daryl shook his head. He'd heard the rumors too. Sad part was he wasn't surprised. Ed had always been a jerk. Daryl would have broken Ed's neck if it had gotten out that he'd abused her back while they were in high school.

Merle went on. "Well he's outta the picture for good now from what I hear. You still like her, dont you?"

"I can't ask her out, Merle!"

"Thats not answering my question."

"Yes. Of course I still like her," he admitted, "a lot, okay! Havent ever met anyone like her. But... I just can't alright?"

"Yes you can! Grow a pair of nuts and ask the woman out!"

"Not gonna happen."

"Well if you dont, I will."

Daryl glared at him angrily. "The hell? Andrea would skin your redneck ass alive." 'Then I'd pick your bones,' he thought to himself jealously. The thought alone made his blood boil.

Merle rolled his eyes. "I wouldnt ask her to go out with me, ya moron... I'd ask her to go out with your scaredy cat, punk ass."

"Spare me the humiliation of being turned down, will ya?" Daryl snapped. "Besides, you dont even know if she's here or not," he then added as he reluctantly followed Merle inside the store.

A slender African-American young lady with her hair pulled back into a bun was training a tall, portly White guy (with a long, outdated mullet) on how to use the cash register up at the front counter when they entered so Daryl felt both disappointed and relieved all at the same time that Carol wasn't there. He would have loved to see her but would have died on the spot if Merle acted out his little comedy starring Daryl as the Fool. 

He went into the back of the convenience store and fixed himself a large coffee with a little sugar and a splash of Irish cream then grabbed a fresh honeydip twist donut from the pastry case. He then handed his items to Merle to pay for once he got to the front of the line for his cigarettes then CRINGED when he spotted Carol sitting further down behind the counter, partially hidden behind the glass partition in front of the lottery machine. There were so many items on display on the countertop and behind the numerous glass showcases that he hadnt seen her sitting back there at first.

Unfortunately at that exact moment Merle saw her too. "Hey Mouse!" he exclaimed. "Told ya Dar-lee-na," he then chuckled under his breath. "And lookin' finer than ever!" he added as she stood and approached the register with a friendly wave.

"Shut the hell up, Merle," Daryl hissed, even though he had to admit that she looked great. Her short, cropped hair was slicked back neatly, and she had on stylish gold earrings and a matching bangle bracelet. She was also wearing a pair of tall, brown leather knee boots that showed off her amazing legs and a knee length, form fitting navy blue sweater dress that really showed off her feminine curves. She also had on a dab of blue mascara that really brought out her eyes and Daryl couldnt stop staring at her. 

"Hey Merle... Daryl... good morning!" Carol replied cheerfully with her usual sweet smile that made Daryl all but melt on the spot.

"Didnt see you back there, Darlin. Hidin' from my brother & me, huh?" Merle teased.

Carol chuckled. "Oh no, I didnt have class today so I'm just helping out for a few hours before I have to pick Sophia up from early from school to take her to a doctor's appointment this afternoon. I'm covering the lottery machine while our assistant manager Sasha trains our new hire, Eugene, on the cash register."

"So lottery duty, huh?" Merle exclaimed. Well Darlin why dont ya pick Ole Merle a winner while youre at it? Gimme a couple of those scratch offs."

"Which ones would you like?" Carol asked. "We've got Press Your Luck and Fantasy Island tickets, theyre both a dollar each and the top prize for both is $50K, Georgia Peaches are $2 each and the top prize is worth $100 grand, and I got a few Double Trouble Sweepstakes tickets left, theyre $5 each and the top prize for those is $250K."

"Sold... and mix 'em up for me Honey! Gimme $20 bucks worth."

Carol nodded then began retrieving the assorted tickets from the locked glass case. 

"You want in on the action little Brother?" Merle asked Daryl, offering to buy him a few scratch off tickets.

"No thanks. Those things are a waste of good money. Didnt you just say that you and Andrea might be having another kid? You better put that $20 to better use... like saving it toward the new baby's college fund."

"Dar-lee-na youre a real party pooper ya know that?" Merle groaned. "Have some fun... live a little!"

"Yeah Daryl, live a little," Carol teased him. 

"You know what? Forget the scratch offs. Throw in 5 of the pick 4 tickets for the party pooper," Merle laughed while handing Carol another $10 dollar bill. Dollar straight & dollar boxed."

"Merle don't waste your money," Daryl warned. 

"Its only $10!"

"What numbers would you like Daryl?" Carol asked.

"Huh?"

"Youve gotta pick 4 numbers. If you win youll get between $50 and $1000 bucks per ticket, depending on the order theyre picked in the noon lineup."

"Oh, I dont know."

"If I help you pick out your numbers and you win will you share your prize money with me?" she joked. "Divorce lawyers, nursing school tuition and horseback riding lessons for 5 year olds aren't cheap these days you know?" she laughed.

"Of course I'd share it with ya," he answered in a serious tone. Daryl knew Carol was joking, and he knew he wasn't going to win; the odds were against him, probably hundreds of thousands to one. But if he did, he'd give her the whole prize in a heartbeat just to help her out and see her smile.

"Great! Play my birthday. May 23rd, so 0-5-2-3."

"May 23rd," Daryl committed to memory.

"On one condition!" Merle then suddenly interjected with a mischievous smirk while Carol rang up the tickets.

"What's that?" she asked Merle while Daryl turned BRIGHT red.

"You seeing anybody Mouse?"

"Huh? Well no... haven't had time to go out with anyone with school and Sophia and all. Why do you ask?"

"Well... I will personally guarantee you that my brother will split his winnings with you... on the condition that you'll go out with him!" 

"Shut the hell up Merle!" Daryl groaned. 

"What?" Carol exclaimed with a laugh.

"Yup. He still likes ya after all these years and is too chicken to ask you so please put him out of his misery. And if he loses... well youre off the hook. "

"Oh my God Carol Im so sorry." Daryl covered his face with his hands. He'd never been so humiliated in his life.

But then Carol shocked the HELL out of him with her reply.

"Of course I'll go out with Daryl... if he asks me himself that is... winning or losing the lottery has nothing to do with it."

"You would?" Daryl stuttered in disbelief.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ole Merle strikes again...

"Merle, you never cease to amaze me, ya know that?" Daryl exclaimed as they climbed back inside the truck. He was still in a mild state of shock; his brother's insane idea to ask Carol to go out with him had worked! Now they had a date on Saturday night and she was even going to call him later on that evening to finalize the details. "I cant believe she fell for that little scheme of yours."

"Oh ye of little faith," Merle rebuked, solemnly shaking a finger at him while wearing an amused grin. "Have I ever let ya down before, Darylina? Don't I always look out for ya? Haven't ya ever heard the term 'brother knows best?" he asked.

"Last I heard the saying it was 'father knows best," Daryl replied with a smirk.

"Since when did our half drunk, half crazy Daddy ever get you a date with the Mouse? Never that's when! Ya got yer big brother to thank when ya finally get laid, not the old man, and don't you forget it!" Merle laughed. "I think a thank you is in order," he then added.

"Thank you... I think," Daryl muttered.

"You think? Talk's cheap, Lil' Brother! Put yer money where your mouth is! How 'bout lunch this afternoon... on you?"

"Sure... I guess your crazy ass is worth a trip to McDonalds," Daryl snorted. "You can have a burger OR fries OR a soda from the dollar menu... what do ya say?"

"McDonald's my ass!" Merle howled with laughter. "A date with the Mouse is worth a helluva lot more than a half-ass dollar menu lunch and you know it! I was thinkin' more along the lines of the all you can eat lunch buffet down at Rhee's Korean Barbecue! Its only tweve bucks and it includes free drink refills, ya cheapskate."

Truth be told Daryl wouldn't have cared if his brother had demanded a filet mignon and lobster tail dinner from Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, he would have gladly gotten it for him. He could never fully repay him for what he'd done. "You got it," he chuckled. 

"Now you sound like Andrea all last night, talking about how I've still 'got it," he laughed.

Daryl rolled his eyes. That wasn't what he meant at all and the last thing he wanted to do was remind Merle of his and Andrea's freaky escapades from the previous week. "Ill never figure out in a million years how a sweet girl like Andrea ever got hooked up with the likes of you in the first place. She was a hot shot New York City lawyer for heaven's sake, and probably could've had any man she wanted or lived anywhere in the world, yet she married your crazy ass and relocated down here in Woodbury of all places. Why?"

"I'll tell you why Darylina... or better yet I'll show ya!" Merle exclaimed before sticking out his long tongue before touching the tip of his own nose with it. "You see that?" he laughed.

"Unfortunately!" Daryl groaned. "I didnt ask for a visual aid."

"Well hopefully that answers your question! My Sugartits is a hot shot, New York City bred lawyer alright, but she just so happens to like the way this ole' country boy eats her peach cobbler a helluva lot more than she loved livin' in the big apple!" he giggled lewdly while wiggling his eyebrows. 

"You're really disgusting, ya know that, Merle?" Daryl groaned while trying to hold in a laugh. 

"I know... and Andrea wouldnt have it any other way!" "She told me long before we even got hitched that as long as I promised to keep her satisfied in the bedroom like I did that first night, she wouldnt ever leave me, and Ole Merle always keeps his promises!"

Daryl only shook his head in a mix of equal parts disgust and amusement as he then drove them the rest of the way to work. That brother of his was a real piece of work!  
\-----  
To say that Daryl was distracted at work all morning was an epic understatement. All he could think about was Carol saying yes to going out with him on Saturday night and that she'd call him that night after she finished her reading assignment.

At lunchtime, Daryl, Merle and two other guys from the shop, Abraham Ford and Theodore Douglass aka T-Dog all headed over to Rhee's Korean Barbecue for lunch.

While enjoying the all you can eat lunch buffet, Merle suddenly remembered something. "I almost forgot Darylina! Its past noon... we gotta check our lottery tickets!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merle wins big...

Once back at work, Merle wasn't just in a good mood, he was in a great mood. Just before heading back to the garage after lunch he discovered that he won $500 from one of his scratch off tickets. 

"Hey Darylina, I think I'm gonna slip the Mouse a couple o' dollars when I cash in my winning ticket as a little thank you. Its the least I can do; she picked it after all. Ya think fifty bucks is ok?" 

Daryl nodded. "Fifty dollars isnt bad... that's ten percent. Real nice of ya, Merle. It's not like you'll miss it and I know she'll appreciate it. She can treat herself to something nice and maybe get her little girl a new doll or something too."

"When you're right, you're right, Brother!" He was thoughtful for a moment. "Too bad you weren't so lucky with the numbers she picked out for you. You didn't win one measly red cent," Merle laughed. 

Daryl rolled his eyes. He couldnt have cared less about losing the lottery; inside he felt like he was the luckiest of all. Carol actually agreed to go out with him after all those years so that was the best prize possible in Daryl's opinion. Not to mention that she said she'd call him that night so he couldnt wait to get off work at 6pm and for all intents and purposes he was on cloud nine... regardless of losing the thousands of dollars he could have won in the noon Pick 4 drawing if Carol's birthday had hit. But Merle had baited him in so he had to retaliate. "Wasting hard earned money on the lottery is your vice, not mine, remember? I couldnt care less," he replied with a smirk.

"I'm $500 dollars richer after only spending 2 bucks on the ticket, and this aint my first time winning so it dont seem much like a waste to me! You on the other hand are the one at a loss. You're out $12 bucks & tax after treating me for lunch today and didnt win a nickel from the lottery. Looks like I'm the winner in more ways than one!"

"True... but how many thousands have ya you lost over the years? Youre not doing anything but supporting that idiot." 

"What idiot?" Merle exclaimed.

"Governor Phillip Blake of course. That pig gets a kickback from lottery revenue every year he's in office, as if he needs anymore money, so whenever you play and lose, he benefits from it. He's the worst governor in the history of the state of Georgia. He does nothing but sit on his ass and run his mouth from his ritzy mansion out in Woodbury Hills. I still dont know how anybody voted for him." 

"You think I care about politics at a time like this?" Merle laughed. "I got a $500 winning lottery ticket in my pocket! All I care about is cashing this baby in and blowing it all on sexy lingerie for my Sugartits down at the Victorias Secret store just so I can rip it off of her sweet ass with my pearly whites!" he laughed with a wink.

"You really are disgusting, you know that?" Daryl groaned in disgust at his brother's descriptions of the unbridled lust going on in his bedroom for at least the third time that day.

After getting off work Daryl took Merle back to Mason's to cash in his ticket on the way home. Daryl didnt see Carol's car outside so he simply waited in the truck. No need to go in if she wasn't gonna be there; besides he wanted to hurry up and get home and settled in so he wouldn't miss her call. He was so impatient to get home that after just a few moments he started thinking that Merle was in the store a lot longer than it should take to cash in one measly lottery ticket and he was just about to go in after him when Merle finally emerged carrying a large Manila envelope. 

He climbed into the truck grinning like a fool and slammed the door with excited glee. 

"Hell's wrong with you?"

"Not a damn thing Darylina! You're not gonna believe this! I didnt win five hundred dollars from that scratch-off ... I won five thousand!"

"The hell?"

"No lie, Brother! You remember that cute lil' gal that was in the store with Carol this morning? Sasha?"

"The chick that was training that dorky fucker with the mullet? The assistant manager"

"The very one! She remembered me from this morning and we were chatting it up while she was processing my ticket when she spotted a bonus space on there that I missed scratching out. I mustve gotten so excited when I thought I won the five hundred dollars that I missed the other spot! Well guess what? She did the honors for me and the bonus space was a 'Multiply Winnings Times Ten' so I actually won 5 grand!"

"You still gonna tip Carol her ten percent?" Daryl laughed in a sarcastic tone. "That's five hundred bucks now... and you know you've gotta give Sasha a cut too. If she hadnt spotted the multiplier space you wouldve simply had the five hundred."

"Dont you worry Brother, I took care of both those ladies! I gave her $500 and told her to split it with Carol! She was so shocked she thought I was joking and called her right then and there and I could hear the Mouse loud and clear through the phone. She was shocked too and couldnt thank me enough! Sasha then handed me the phone and I told Carol not to thank me... but to thank you on that date on Saturday night!" he laughed.

Daryl turned beet red. "You didnt."

"Oh yes I did! She then told me to let you know she's gonna call you around 9 tonight."

Daryl glanced at the dashboard. It wasn't even 6:30 yet but he couldn't wait to get home. "Lets get the hell outta here!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Carol calls, Daryl answers... no matter how late it is!

After dropping Merle off, Daryl stopped at the grocery store near his apartment to grab a few things before heading home. Not surprisingly Merle had slipped him a few hundred bucks from his lottery winnings, so in addition to breakfast foods, canned goods and a couple of other pantry staples, he stocked up on enough steaks to fill up half of his deep freezer; the other half was already packed with all of the wild boar, wild turkey and venison he'd bagged out in the Senoia woods at the beginning of hunting season. He also bought all of the ingredients he'd need to make a pot of chili when he got home. It was quite cold outside and he was looking forward to a big, hot bowl of chili and a couple of slices of cornbread to warm him up. 

His last stop was at the liquor store just down the block to grab a case of beer, then he headed in for the evening. He immediately got started on frying up the ground beef, bell peppers, onions, fresh garlic and a chili seasoning packet then stirred it in with the stewed tomatoes, tomato paste and kidney beans he put on to simmer in a larger pot, then added a little of sugar. He then threw in a single habanero pepper to give the finished product a little fire!

While the chili was slowly simmering on low heat on the stove, he mixed up a quick pan of cornbread from scratch and after putting it into the oven to bake he took a quick shower then finally sat down to enjoy his supper in his living room so that he could enjoy the Monday night football game on the big screen. 

The hours flew by quickly and before he knew it the night news was about to come on TV. Since arriving at home hours prior he'd checked his cell at least a dozen or more times to make sure he hadn't missed Carol's call. Two of the calls he had received had been from his coworkers down at the shop, two were from his brother (both times to tease him about Carol,) and the rest were spam calls.

At that point it was getting pretty late. He'd long since finished his food (and seconds,) and the game (and all of the after game highlights) so after glancing at the phone yet again he finally just gave up. Merle had told him Carol was gonna call around nine and at that point it was a little past eleven. 

Not a good sign. 

Daryl wasn't angry however; he understood that Carol was a very busy woman who simply didn't have a lot of time to waste on the telephone. She was also the sweetest person he knew so she wouldn't have ever lied about calling him if she hadnt really planned to; she probably just didnt get a chance to call. She was a single mother after all with a part time job and a full time college courseload.

He felt a little dejected as he tossed his dishes into the dishwasher and put the pot of leftover chili and half eaten pan of cornbread away in the fridge, then retired for the night to brush his teeth before pulling on a comfy pair of gray flannel pajama pants and after turning up the heat a little and turning off every light in his apartment he got into bed a little earlier than usual.

He'd just slid between the cold, crisp sheets and closed his eyes, trying NOT to think about all of the naughty things he could be doing with Carol if she was in his bed at that moment (and willing the almost painfully stiff erection that had immediately come to life in his pj's the moment Carol's face popped in his head to go down,) and was about to try to fall asleep when all of a sudden his cell phone began vibrating. Despite the late hour he just KNEW it was Carol calling and he DID NOT want to miss her call. 

He IMMEDIATELY reached for it in its usual spot on his bedside table then groaned the second he realized it wasn't there. It then started vibrating again...somewhere... in his now pitch black bedroom.

"Fuck me," he muttered aloud as he scrambled out of bed and dropped to his knees on the floor and immediately began feeling under the bed in the dark to find the damned thing since it had most likely fallen under there. 

He then got the bright idea to turn the bedside lamp on and as soon as he did he spotted the phone an inch or so further back than where he'd just been reaching. He must've kicked it back there when he got into bed. He grabbed it then glanced at the screen and saw a weird number he didnt recognize and answered right before it stopped vibrating.

"Hello," he answered, trying to hide both how nervous he felt and just how anxious he was.

"Daryl, is that you?" Carol murmured.

His heart flipped and everything below the belt stood at attention all over again at the sound of her soft, sultry phone voice. He hadnt heard it since high school and he felt like a teenager all over again.

"Carol... hey! I was really hoping you'd call! Almost thought ya forgot me," he admitted with a chuckle.

"Of course not, just got really busy earlier with fixing dinner and helping Soph with her homework, then I gave her a bath and after I got her settled I had to finish reading the last 2 chapters of my own homework and I guess I just lost track of time. I hope its not too late to call. I'm pretty sure you have work early tomorrow morning."

"I do, but its fine, really. You could've called me at 3 am and I still would have answered," he admitted. "I'll always make time to talk to you, Carol."

"I almost forgot how sweet you are, Dixon," she chuckled. "Im so glad you asked me out again. Im really looking forward to Saturday."

"Me too... and I'm real sorry about Merle this mornin' but Im glad he said whatever the hell he said to make you consider spending some time with me again. I gotta admit I really missed you after you left." 

"I missed you too and thought about you often. And please dont be mad at Merle, he was just being Merle," she laughed. "Speaking of your brother, Im still in shock at the money he left Sasha and I today as tips for that winning lottery ticket. It was beyond gracious. And Im so glad he played matchmaker for us. I gotta admit you've been on my mind a lot lately."

"I have?" he asked in disbelief. "Really?" Carol was his dreamgirl and she'd been thinking about him?

"Yes. Last time we ran into each other at Walmart I couldnt stop thinking about that time we kissed in high school."

"You actually remember that?"

"Off course I do. The kiss was really nice if memory serves. My teenage hormones were raging so I wanted more! I always regretted not giving you a chance back then Daryl... but I was already seeing Ed and it would've been a big mess. I didn't want him trying to hurt you. He told me he'd kill any guy who tried to take me away from him and he had such a violent temper that I believed him."

Daryl's jaw dropped. The only reason Carol hadn't gone out with him all those years ago was because she thought she was protecting him?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A long overdue conversation commences...

Daryl was stunned to find out that Carol had been trying to protect him from Ed. "Thanks for your concern Darlin' but I wasn't afraid of Ed or his idle threats, and if I had known that he was anything less than a gentlemen toward you back then I would've made it my business to get you the hell away from him and make him pay. Ed was nothing more than a bully and a coward. If he ever looked at me wrong I would have read him his rights and if he ever laid a finger on me... well hell, I would've knocked him out cold. Merle taught me how to protect myself when we were kids and you better believe he taught me well! In fact if I'd ever gone home beaten up by a punk like Ed Peletier, Merle would've roughed me up ten times worse then dragged me back over to Ed's neighborhood to kick his ass proper like he taught me."

"I wish I'd known that back then. I could have saved myself a lot of wasted time and energy. Heartache too. My marriage to Ed was the biggest mistake of my life. He always was a bit of a jerk but he wasnt mean to me at first. Over time however he started drinking a lot. He started staying out all hours of the night and got verbally abusive when Id ask any questions. I then realized that he was cheating on me. When I confronted him about his affair he just got more bold with it and treated me worse and worse. To be disrespected like that was so degrading," she hesitated, "but I couldnt just leave; he controlled the money. I wasnt working back then and since I hadnt finished my degree I didnt have any decent prospects. But after awhile it got so bad that one day after he went to work I simply had had enough. I packed up a few of Sophia's clothes and toys then just got in the car and left with her and the clothes on my back. I just couldnt stand to be around him anymore and I didnt want Sophia to be around him when he drank ever again. My parents told me I could come home so I did and got a protective order against Ed. Surprisingly he gave me the divorce uncontested plus child support and I have sole custody of Sophia so he can be with his mistress 24/7. He didnt want me anymore anyway which was fine by me. The only good thing that came out of that disastrous marriage was my beautiful baby girl."

Daryl was moved by her story. "She is awful pretty, Carol; looks just like a girl I used to know," he then teased, trying to cheer her up. "Only thing now is that that girl I remember is even prettier than ever and I can't believe she wants to go out with me after all these years."

"Oh stop it!" she laughed. "You're pulling my leg."

"Am not."

"Daryl you could ask any woman you want in this town out on a date, girls a lot younger and a whole lot prettier than me and you know it. I still cant believe youre not in a relationship."

"Been single nearly two years now. Once you came back to town last year you were all I could think about but I didnt know how to ask you out. Figured you were still getting over your breakup and that I still wasnt good enough for ya. I didnt wanna ask anybody else out though... I wanted you. In fact, well it might sound a but crazy, but Ive been waiting to take you out since 12th grade. Of course I dated a few girls after high school but none of them could hold a candle to you."

"Even though I've got a kid now and going gray early and am nowhere near 'high school skinny' anymore by any stretch of the imagination?" she laughed.

"Carol youre the most beautiful woman I know," he replied sincerely. 

She was quiet a moment, obviously taken aback by how genuine he sounded then quietly accepted his compliment.

"Wow. Thank you. Its been a long, long time since I heard a man tell me something so nice."

"You deserve to hear it everyday. And I mean it from the heart. I'm not gonna let a day pass by without letting you know just how I feel," he admitted. "Wasted too much time holding back. I was so crazy about you years ago but when you turned me down I figured I should just back off so I wouldnt look like a fool. Big mistake. I shouldve simply tried harder to get you to give me a shot. "

"You weren't the fool, I was. I liked you a lot too but I was just too silly to act on it and worried about what Ed might do. I wasted so much time! Who knows what might have happened if we dated back then," she laughed.

'I would've married you and given you at least three or four of my babies by now, that's what,' Daryl thought to himself but didnt dare say it out loud. He didn't want her to think he was crazy, but his feelings for her had been so strong back then that if he had gotten the chance he would have married her in a heartbeat. She was so special to him. No other girl he'd ever met made him feel like Carol. She understood him like no one else had back then. He was so happy to get a second chance to win her heart. 

"Dont blame yourself. Besides, the past is just that. The past. We just have a lot of time to make up for that's all and Im looking forward to it... starting on Saturday! By the way have you got a place in mind you want me to take you to yet?"

"Anywhere is fine I guess... it's been so long since I've gone out on a real date! Maybe we could do something fun like go bowling, or maybe see a movie and grab a bite someplace? Do people still do that stuff on date night?" she giggled.

"Of course they do. And we can do anything you want Sweetheart."

"But where would you like to go?"

"Ya really wanna know?"

"Of course."

"Well I did have a place in mind, but... well its gonna sound silly."

"You can tell me," she coaxed. 

"You wont laugh?"

"Of course not!"

"Okay... uh... the Jade Dragon," he nearly whispered.

"Jade Dragon?" she was thoughtful a second. "The Japanese restaurant out on Walker Boulevard with the koi pond & crystal waterfall inside the lobby? I didnt know they were still open! I haven't eaten there in years!"

"Yeah... I was gonna ask if ya still like Japanese... I remember you told me one day years ago that you tried sushi for the first time and kinda liked it, and since the Dragon was one of the nicest sushi restaurants in town back then I always wished I could have afforded to take you there on a date. Now that I can... well... Id love to take you for old time's sake. But it was just an idea, Carol. We can always go somewhere else if ya like."

"Nope! Jade Dragon it is. I'd love to go there with you, Daryl."

"You really would?"

"Of course I would. If memory serves, its nice and quiet in there so we can really talk and catch up. And theyve got those little private booths in the back with the curtains," she laughed.

"They do?"

"Yes... kissing booths as theyre called. Wait, youve really never been inside the place?"

"No," he admitted. "You were the only person I ever wanted to take there."

"Thats so sweet! Wow! Well maybe we can also see a late movie afterward, my treat. I've got a very busy week ahead with classes and clinicals everyday until Friday so I'm really looking forward to this weekend to unwind and have some long overdue fun! I'm gonna drop Sophia off at Ed's parent's house to sleep over for the weekend on Friday evening so I'll be all yours as late as you want to keep me out on Saturday night."

'I like the sound of that,' Daryl thought to himself with a naughty smirk.


End file.
